The French expression “tirer le diable par la queue” translates literally to “to pull the devil by the tail”.
English meaning:
- to live hand to mouth
French meaning:
- vivre sans peu de ressources – to live with few resources
Example sentence:
- La réalité c’est que la plupart des américains tirent le diable par la queue : le rêve américain deveint impossible à atteindre. The reality is that the majority of Americans live hand to mouth and that the American dream is becoming impossible to reach.
Related:
- un/une précaire (noun) – person who’s job is unstable
- précaire (adjective) – unstable, insecure (with regards to jobs and income).
Suggested audio French courses from Frenchtoday.com
Latest posts by David Issokson (see all)
- French Songs: 18 Top French Hits You’ll Love - June 1, 2023
- French appetizers: 20 Hors d’oeuvres You Will Love - May 26, 2023
- 20 Most Famous French Women In History - May 16, 2023